Maricopa County, Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio stands with JD Hayworth and Mike Broomfield from KFYI talk radio, Phoenix, as he speaks to the United Border Coalition Tea Party gathering at the border in Hereford, AZ.

You can buy reserved seating tickets here, A portion of proceeds from RSVP and VIP Supporter tickets will go to the Phoenix Law Enforcement Charities to benefit the families of fallen Border Patrol agents. General admission is free..

As Gov Brewer said at the signing, AZ has requested Federal assistance from Obama 5 times with no result. We do not have the money to call up the National Guard for our border and the police need the ability to enforce the immigration laws when they encounter criminals. In addition to the international drug smuggling rings committing violence, all it takes is one terrorist crossing the border to endanger the entire country.

“What bill are we going to take up?” he asked in an interview. “What are we going to do? I mean, you’ve done nothing to lay the groundwork for this, we’ve spent all of our time on health care. What bill are we going to take up? Do you expect me to write a bill? Am I going to write every bill in this Congress?”

What part of the equation doesn’t Graham get? The Dim Dems in Congress know they are going to get an EPIC EPIC ASS KICKIN in November by the people. Therefore they need to buy themselves some votes, quickly. Their big plan is to appear to do something on immigration to buy off Luis Gutierrez and get a few million temp workers for SEIU and AFLCIO to gouge for dues. Then they figure eh we already have Collins, Lieberman, Graham and Snowe to go with us on cap and trade AFTER November. the frakkers.

Update: Grahamnesty is pixxed! HA!!!! He is whining that the cap and trade bill is what he was focused on and they are pulling the ole switcheroo and he is angry b/c the Dems, ‘havent laid the proper groundwork’ and it seems Lindsey doesn’t appreciate the flip flopping. Word was Graham and Kerry were going to roll out their energy bill Monday and now looks like the push is on amnesty instead..

…Graham has long said that he would not introduce immigration legislation without another Republican on board. President Barack Obama is trying to help find one. But Democratic leaders decided this week that they will move forward with or without one. With Republican support, the legislation might actually clear Congress. Without it, it won’t. But it might still show Hispanics, many of whom are annoyed by inaction on immigration, that Democrats tried. And it could point the blame toward Republicans, further winning over Hispanic political support to Democrats.

Asked about immigration, it’s fair to say that Graham went into something of a rant. “I thought we had a game plan here,” he said. “I thought we were going to take up energy and climate if we could put together a package. You throw immigration into the mix, this is a CYA effort, this is just not a rational way to do comprehensive immigration reform.”

Looks like they rolled the dice and are viewing their losses in the polls as a cue to try and lure some new voters their way via amnesty…..too bad so sad John Kerry, and Babs Boxer will take the ‘new votes’ in Cali, she is in serious election trouble so I guess her ‘passion’ for the environment was fleeting…and of course, LABOR wants amnesty not cap and trade..amnesty adds to their rolls, cap and trade slows exports…

And they think that can do this and then turn around and try a VAT next year? BWAAAAHAA frakking loons this bunch in D.C…..

Democratic leaders in Congress have agreed to try to pass immigration legislation this year, placing the explosive issue ahead of an energy bill on their agenda and upending conventional wisdom that it was dead for now.

Democrats hope the measure will quell frustration among Hispanic voters at inaction on immigration in advance of the fall elections, where those voters could be crucial in many races. A comprehensive bill would include a path to citizenship for those in the U.S. illegally, a priority for immigrant advocates but something opponents deride as amnesty.

“It’s a moral imperative and a political imperative,” said a Democratic leadership aide….

Funny how their political imperatives seem to become moral ones ain’t it?

…In a leadership meeting late Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he would bring immigration legislation to the floor this year, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California said she would try to move the bill if it passed the Senate first, according to three Democratic officials. With limited time available for action this year, both leaders said they would put immigration ahead of energy on their priority list, the officials said….

Hispanic lawmakers want President Barack Obama to intervene if Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer doesn’t veto a sweeping illegal immigration bill that would require police to stop anyone suspected of being an illegal immigrant.

“The governor of Arizona should veto the bill, and if she doesn’t the president of the United States, Barack Obama, should assert the federal government’s preeminent role in regulating and enforcing our nation’s immigration law,” Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), said Tuesday.

A senior administration official said the White House was studying the bill….

• Immediately deploy 3,000 National Guard troops along the Arizona-Mexico border and add 3,000 Custom and Border Protection agents to the Arizona-Mexico border by 2015.

• Fund and support Operation Streamline in Arizona’s two Border Patrol sectors to ensure that repeat illegal border crossers go to jail for 15 to 60 days.

• Provide $100 million, an increase of $40 million, for Operation Stonegarden, a program that provides funds to Arizona’s border law enforcement for additional costs related to illegal immigration and drug smuggling.

• Complete the 700 miles of fencing along the U.S. border with Mexico and construct double- and triple-layer fencing at appropriate locations along the border.

• Increase the 25 mobile surveillance systems and three Predator B aerial drones in place along the Arizona-Mexico border. Send additional fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters to the Arizona-Mexico border.

• Increase funding for vital radio communications and interoperability between agencies.

• Require the federal government to fully reimburse state and local governments for the costs of incarcerating criminal aliens.

• Place one full-time federal magistrate in Cochise County and provide full funding for and authorization of the Southwest Border Prosecution Initiative to reimburse state, county, tribal, and municipal governments for costs associated with the prosecution and pretrial detention of federally-initiated criminal cases declined by local offices of the U.S. attorneys.

Senate gave the final approval to some changes and the bill is now with the Governor waiting for signature. I sent her an email asking her to sign it and letting her know that hubby and I although lifelong Dems support this bill. Never hurts to let a pol who is running for office know they have bipartisan support on an issue! Hopefully she will sign it.

The question of whether police will be required to ask people if they are in this country legally is now in the hands of Gov. Jan Brewer.On a 17-11 margin Monday, the state Senate gave final approval to a package of changes in state law that proponents say will help crack down on illegal immigration. Sen. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, the architect of the plan, said state action is necessary because of the political failure in Washington to secure the border.

While some changes are minor, like making it a crime to stop in traffic to solicit a day laborer, the heart of the bill is aimed at what Pearce said is “removing the handcuffs” from local police.

To that end, SB 1070 would overrule any policy or procedure of a city council or police department that keeps officers from enforcing federal immigration laws. It also says that, when practicable, police must inquire about the immigration status of those they encounter as part of their regular activities.

And to ensure compliance, the legislation permits anyone who believes police aren’t doing all they should to file suit, with judges required to impose fines of up to $5,000 a day if the citizen suit succeeds.

It also lets police arrest illegal immigrants and charge them with the state crime of not carrying their visas or resident alien documents issued by the U.S. government….

— Prohibits any government agency or official from restricting enforcement of immigration laws “to less than the full extent permitted by federal law.”

— In situations where “reasonable suspicion exists” someone is in this country illegally, “a reasonable attempt shall be made, when practicable, to determine the immigration status of the person” except if it would hinder or obstruct an investigation.